Fatal Home Fire in Fannin County

BLUE RIDGE, GA – Fannin County Fire Department (FCFD) responded to three fires last week, one of those fires resulted in the fatality of the homeowner.

FCFD received a dispatch at 10:21 A.M on Wednesday, October 18, 2017, to a house fire located at 216 Toccoa Forest Lane. The dispatch warned that there was a possible entrapment involved. Responders arrived on the scene 15 minutes later.

Fire/Rescue Chief and EMA Deputy Director Larry Thomas explained that upon arrival the area of the structure where the homeowner was located was “fully engulfed and had already started collapsing.”

Twelve emergency responders with FCFD arrived on the scene, but were unable to get to the trapped occupant. Don Howard, age 65, passed away due to smoke inhalation.

FCFD responded to another house fire last week located at 260 Fain Street. Dispatch was received on Thursday, October 19, 2017, and FCFD was on the scene within seven minutes.

Upon arrival smoke and flames were seen at the backside of the house. FCFD was able to contain and extinguish the fire.

On Sunday, October 24 at 2:14 A.M. FCFD responded to a third call pertaining to a fire. The fire was detected inside Walmart located at 97 Commerce Drive in Blue Ridge. The fire began in a disposal cart for cardboard containers located within the store.

Thomas confirmed that when FCFD arrived on the scene, that Walmart employees had been successful in moving the cart outside of the store. Foul play is suspected at this time and the incident is currently being investigated by the City of Blue Ridge Police Department.

While no foul play is suspected in either of the two home fires, both fires remain under investigation.

 

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